It’s a tough day on a tough week. So, instead of rehashing what happened when Hurricane Katrina remade our world, we’re going to focus on why we love New Orleans.
Why it matters: Twenty years doesn’t really mean anything by itself. It’s merely a nice round number to tell us there’s been a passage of time.
- But those years mean infinite moments within families and friends and between strangers that rebuilt us. Many happened without fanfare or applause, though they’re what mattered most to us.
Zoom in: We asked you to share a moment that’s brought you joy in the past 20 years.
- Here’s what you said.
Note: These comments have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
“Every single Mardi Gras Day”
“Joy? Every single Mardi Gras Day!” — actor Harry Shearer
“Our first year living on the parade route on St. Charles Avenue, I woke up to the smell of barbeque and Whitney Houston’s ‘I Will Always Love You.’ I don’t ever want to live anywhere else.” — Fleurty Girl owner Lauren Haydel
“When the Saints won the Super Bowl”
“The first quarter of the Sept. 25, 2006, Saints v. Falcons game. After U2 played ‘The Saints are Coming,’ Steve Gleason blocked the Dirty Birds’ punt, and the Saints scored. At that moment, we knew the Saints would come back, better than ever and, by metaphorical extension, so would New Orleans.” — GNO Inc. president Michael Hecht…